New Comelec commissioners named

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THE COMELEC office in Intramuros, Manila — PATRICK ROQUE

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has named a lawyer from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and a regional election director as new commissioners of the election body ahead of the May midterm elections.

In separate letters, dated Feb. 10 and signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., Comelec Law Department Director Maria Norina S. Tangaro-Casingal and Comelec Ilocos Regional Director Noli Rafol Pipo were named commissioners to replace Socorro B. Inting and Marlon S. Casquejo, respectively.

Both former election commissioners retired last week.

The Philippine midterm elections are scheduled for May 12, when Filipinos will elect 12 of the 24 senators, congressmen and local officials.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said last week that about 13 million ballots have already been printed since they resumed printing last Jan. 27, or about 16% of the 72 million it aims to print for the elections.

The agency is printing about 1.8 million ballots per day, exceeding Comelec’s initial goal of 1.5 million printouts, he told a news briefing on Feb. 5. — John Victor D. Ordoñez